'Should Assisted Suicide be allowed?' poll discussion

bookworm1363

In exactly the same way as those who do perform abortions do. There are some who will see it as a necessary service and those who won't touch it no matter what.

glossyhair

BlueAngelCV wrote: »

I do not think that it should be available for mental illnesses though.

I don't post on here very often although I am a regular reader but I am incensed. How dare you make the assumption that physical illness can be so unbearable that the only reasonable option is euthanasia yet mental illness is not to be treated in the same way. A mental illness can be equally, if not MORE debilitating than a physical one and is often made even worse by attitudes such as this. When oh when will people stop adding to the stigma of mental illness! Sorry, rant over . . .

theoilyone

So someone with lots of debt who can not see a way out is sound of mind and should be allowed to take thier own life, or someone who has a terminal illness and who has not allowed that fact to emotionally alter thier ability to make rational opinions and judgements in thier opinion should be allowed to take thier own life.

Let's say the Dr's anounce to you tomorrow that you are going to die and in four years time to the day you will drop dead, that fact would not alter your state of mind.

" I went to the other side",

Jesus did not commit suicide and I am sure he knew how much suffering was involved in crucifiction

bookworm1363

theoilyone wrote: »

Jesus did not commit suicide and I am sure he knew how much suffering was involved in crucifiction

What's that got to do with anything??? :huh:

(and it's crucifiXion, although I like the implied meaning of your spelling . )

Aldahbra

Errata wrote: »

So who are these angels of death that will pass the pills to the dying to die teenager/young mum/neurotic ? Their relatives? Doubtful. Medical and nursing staff? Unfair.
I wonder if anyone who's all for assisted suicide would be happy to pass the pills to their beloved and still young parent or teenager.

Yes, I would, I watched my Grandmother have stroke after stroke over a period of years. She could barely see, she could barely hear, she could not walk, she couldn't move her right arm. She couldn't eat proper food. Each stroke got worse and worse. Her mind was intact. She knew exactly what was happening to her.

Time after time she begged me to end it all for her. I have to live with the shame that I did not. She endured years of an unliveable life, with no hope of recovery and care staff who treated her as if she was an idiot.

She tried hunger strike, they force fed her. She tried not drinking, they put her on a drip. She tried saving up her medication by pretending to take it by storing it in her mouth then hiding the pills in various places, but they took them away.

Would I have passed her the pills. Oh yes, like a shot. I would have smothered her with a pillow if I weren't too cowerdly and scared of getting caught.

I loved my Grandmother, very, very much. What our "caring Society" inflictecd on her is inexcusable however you look at it.

teddyco

This article in the Times today is discussing suicide and the NHS.


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article6021947.ece

kkgree1

I don't normally post but this discussion struck a cord with me as its something I've had to think about in the past few months.

My mother-in-law has Parkinsons and has always said that she wishes to die with dignity. In the past few months her condition has significantly deteriorated but not to the stage where it is "terminal". She has a living will in place but has spoken on several occasions about taking herself off to Switzerland. I've said that her condition is not at this stage yet but I can see us having to face this in the future.

My own views in the past were that assisted suicide should not be allowed in any circumstances. I have a strong faith and did believe that we should not be able to control when we die. My views have since changed and I believe that assisted suicide should be allowed for terminally ill patients only. In a lot of cases death is drawn out and painful and I wouldn't wish this on anybody.

Errata

Who chooses the day ? The person, who may have left it so late that their suicide can only be achieved with the assistance of medical staff ? Or do they decide before that point, when in fact they would need no assistance?
Things aren't black and white and straightforward.

b00kworm

Trying to remember back to GCSEs here....
an able bodied person has the autonomy to end their own lives, it seems to be hypocritical to preech equal rights to the disabled and terminally ill, yet remove this right to decide their own lives, just because they need some help. They aren't denied the right to go shopping if they need help, or left to starve if they can't cook for themselves. so why do we deny them the right to die when they choose?

I agree that it can be dangerous if people feel pressured into this, either the person themselves feeling like a burden, or the friend or relative feeling pressured to do something they are not comfortable with, however the point of this is based around free will, no-one is forced into doing anything.

Regarding finances, while it may be deemed expensieve to keep people alive, even when they dont want to be, it will also be expensieve making it safe. To ease worries about being forced or temporarily depressed they would need to be rigorous procedures, probable involving psychiatrists, counsellors and other professionals so I doubt that this would be any cheaper if it's to be done correctly.
Not that money should be a deciding factor in deciding peoples lives.

Errata

I haven't seen any discussion around the cost of keeping someone alive v the cost of assisting them to kill themselves and in a civilised society it will never be a deciding factor.
I do believe that there will be strong arguements around the temporary nature of serious clinical depression and also suggestions that anyone who needs someone to help them to kill themselves is not of sound mind and incapable of making that decision.